


Secret Moments

by Soozen



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: ATLA Winter Femslash Week 2021, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, tyzula - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:46:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29125926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soozen/pseuds/Soozen
Summary: Ty Lee and Azula remember their first kiss a little differently.For the ATLA Winter Femslash Week Day 1 - First Kiss
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 72
Collections: Winter ATLA Femslash Week 2021





	Secret Moments

When asked about her first kiss with Azula, Ty Lee will brighten up, her large eyes sparkling as she recalls an evening on Ember Island. There have been many a visit to Ember Island, largely in thanks to being a constant at Azula’s side, both as friend and as more; and in those many visits, there have been many romantic moments shared under the heat of the sun, many glances stolen when thinking the other isn’t looking, many kisses shared at all hours.

But Ty Lee is thinking of the very first visit they had to Ember Island together, when they were young girls of fourteen, when the war seemed all but won. That small vacation, when they were joined by Mai and Zuko, will always live fondly in her memory for many reasons.

After leaving Chan’s house for the _second_ time that night, Mai and Zuko had taken the first opportunity to go somewhere on their own, leaving Ty Lee and Azula to return to the quaint beach house. Ty Lee, of course, didn’t mind; after all, Azula was usually softer, gentler, without an audience.

And when she tells it, she will say that she was waiting for the perfect opportunity, that she had known for some time that she was going to take the chance, she only needed the right moment. A moment when Azula’s walls were down, when she wasn’t so angry, when she could afford to be softer, be herself. She will say that she had planned to tell Azula exactly how she felt, how she had felt this way for a very long time, that Azula was the only person she would leave the circus for.

(Ignoring, of course, the sheer amount of persuasion Azula resorted to in order to get her to leave).

That night, when they returned to the beach house, so small and cozy and full of a sort of familial warmth that can only come in such small quarters, Lo and Li were asleep; and more than once since that night, Ty Lee thanks whatever spirit may have ensured that. For if those two funny old ladies had been awake, had they even attempted to supervise them, none of that life-changing vacation would have occurred.

Certainly not their first kiss, she says.

And she remembers the details of it, how she and Azula had entered the tiny bedroom they were to share with Mai, with the two beds it housed (as the princess, Azula was to have one bed to herself, while Mai and Ty Lee would share the other); how as they sat on their respective beds and talked quietly so as not to wake Lo and Li, their knees would bump together. It was tight, but comforting, and the only light in the room being a small flame gently cradled in Azula’s hand; and Azula was smiling and laughing as they recounted what they each had seen and done to Chan’s house. She remembers how pretty Azula was when she smiled (and will cheekily say that Azula still is, of course), how lovely her hair was let down, how relaxed and happy she seemed.

It was then, with their knees touching in a room the perfect size for just them, that they kissed.

(She will always say, with absolute certainty, that it was Azula who had initiated the kiss.)

However, when asked the very same question, Azula’s eyes darken with amusement, her lips pulled into a tight smirk. She will recall the night a little differently, of how the night air chilled had her shoulders, how it had initially been a relief to be inside that beach house until entering the room that had no right to be as small as it was, that it was certainly supposed to be a _closet_ , not a place for anyone to sleep. She will remember the cramped room as being confining, it being irritating and unbefitting of her that she could not even sit on her own bed without Ty Lee’s long legs knocking into her own.

But (and the smirk on her lips will deepen as she continues retelling the events of that night) some of the times their legs brush together had not seemed accidental; on more than one occasion, it was not only Ty Lee’s knee, but her calf, her ankle, that brushed against Azula’s, and it was all smooth skin and warmth, and when she met Ty Lee’s eyes, there had been a flirtatious light behind them.

(Azula will be tempted to emphasize that even she had been able to pick up Ty Lee’s actions for what they were, but she will hold her tongue.)

Then she will explain, pretending a blush does not creep up on her cheeks, how she had known something was coming then, that Ty Lee had been inching closer, that conversation had fallen away and somehow, their free hands had become joined.

(In direct contrast to Ty Lee’s story, Azula knows that it had been Ty Lee who had kissed her first.)

And then, she will say, a smirk so large on her face that it nearly is a grin, that as they shared their first kiss, Ty Lee’s braid had caught fire.

For you see, Ty Lee had been playing with it, pulled over her shoulder, and when they had leaned in, and their lips had touched for the first time, her braid had dipped down to the flame Azula had cradled in her hand. This was not noticed quickly, the two girls far too involved with each other to notice. But it was Azula who took note of the sudden aroma of burning hair, pulling back sharply, and Ty Lee wore the absolute saddest expression, of surprise and fear (and looking back, Azula can place that as a fear of rejection), and Azula nearly laughs because _of course_ Ty Lee would be blissfully ignorant to her own braid burning away.

And she will explain that with a quick flick of her wrist, the flames were extinguished, that Ty Lee had let out a high-pitched shriek once she realized what had happened and jumped back; and Azula had laughed and laughed, until Ty Lee had pouted and looked as if she might cry. It had only taken the smoothest of motions, leaning over and telling her not to be so dramatic, before capturing Ty Lee’s lips in her own once more.

And that, Azula will say, quite pleased with herself, was how their second kiss came to be, so fast after the first.

Of course, both girls are incorrect, and it is anyone’s guess if it is because they truly do not remember, or if they merely are pretending to forget. It was not on Ember Island that they shared their first kiss, but some six years prior, in the gardens of the palace….

.

* * *

.

It was a bright sunny day, and it was the rare occasion that Ty Lee would be with Azula alone. Normally playdates were scheduled so that Mai could be present as well, but for whatever the reason, it was only the two of them.

Seated with their backs against the tree by the pond the turtleducks seemed to favor, they had been taking a break from the summer heat. Already they had cartwheeled and run about and practiced flips and handstands, and all sorts of fun gymnastics. Zuko had joined them for a short while— a _very_ short while, storming off in anger after Azula had played another trick on him that had resulted in him falling into the very pond they were sitting at.

It had not been the first time she’d pulled such a trick on him, nor was it likely to be the last.

But it hadn’t been as much fun this time, Ty Lee had remarked, without Mai there. “His reactions are funnier when she’s here.”

“That’s because he _likes_ Mai,” Azula had responded.

Ty Lee had shifted, to better look at Azula. “Doesn’t Mai like your brother, too?”

“ _Obviously_ , Ty Lee.”

A frown had creased Ty Lee’s face, and she let her head fall back, supported by the tree, as a thought occurred to her. Her silence had caught Azula’s attention, who turned to face her.

“What is it?”

“Well.” Ty Lee had spoken slowly. “Do you think they’ve…kissed?”

Azula’s nose had wrinkled so quickly in disgust that Ty Lee had been able to anticipate her reaction, and joined her in a resounding chorus of, “ _Ewwww!”_

Giggles had shortly followed.

“Boys are gross.” It had been stated as fact, and Ty Lee had done the only thing she could do: agree.

“They are,” she had nodded along, “and kissing boys is gross.”

But instead of simply agreeing with her, Azula had cocked her head. “…Have _you_ kissed a boy?”

Ty Lee’s attempt not to cower under Azula’s gaze had been a failure. “Yeah. Well, Boon-Nam kissed me.” Echoing Azula’s disgust from earlier, she scrunched her nose. “It was weird.”

Azula wore a matching expression. “I’m never kissing a boy.”

“You’ll have to one day,” Ty Lee pointed out with absolute certainty. “All grown-ups have to.”

“Well, I’m not going to.”

“You’ll never kiss _anyone?_ ”

“ _No,_ ” Azula had rolled her eyes. “I’m just not kissing any _boys._ ”

“Oh. …Who will you kiss then?”

Azula had thought for a moment, before declaring, “Girls. I will only kiss girls.”

The thought had never occurred to Ty Lee before. “Is that different from kissing boys?”

“I don’t know. Probably.” And then, as if inspiration had taken ahold of her, Azula had leaned forward on her knees so she was only inches from Ty Lee, determination in her eyes. “I know! We’ll try it, right now, and you’ll be able to tell me how different it is!”

Ty Lee had blinked. “N-now?”

“Yes, now! You need to tell me what makes it different.”

And then they had just stared at each other, for a much longer time than Ty Lee had felt comfortable.

“Um, Azula,” she had finally chanced speaking, “…are you going to do it?”

For a second, there had been a pause from Azula, before she said rapidly, “No, you’re going to kiss me. You’ve been kissed before, after all, so you have to do it.”

“Oh. Okay. Um.” Ty Lee shifted so that she was also kneeling. “You need to close your eyes, and push your lips out like a fish.”

“Like a fish?”

“Uh-huh, haven’t you ever seen grown-ups kiss? That’s what you have to do.”

Azula had not seemed entirely convinced, but did as she had been instructed. Ty Lee sucked in a deep breath, closed her eyes and pressed her lips to Azula’s.

Contact was only made for a second, no longer, before Ty Lee had pulled back, resting on her heels. She had watched Azula expectantly, as she opened her eyes, a strange expression on her face, until at last, she spoke.

“Kissing is weird,” she had finally settled on.

Ty Lee had nodded in agreement. “I don’t know why grown-ups do it.”

“I don’t think I want to do that again.” And then, Azula stood up. “Let’s go see if there’s any mochi in the kitchens.”

“Won’t we get in trouble?” Ty Lee asked, accepting Azula’s hand to pull her to her feet. “We aren’t supposed to go there.”

“We won’t get caught; duh,” Azula responded with a roll of her eyes. “Come on!”

The two girls raced off, their first kiss already far and away, with only mochi consuming their thoughts.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think!
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @soozenwrites for writing updates and fandom nonsense.


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